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Subscribe to RSSIn a first account of the hostage situation, the Algerian prime minister said Monday that the Islamic militants who attacked a BP facility in the Algerian desert were prepared to blow it up. At least 37 hostages and 29 militants are dead after Algerian special forces waged a counter-attack. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports.
In Texas on Tuesday, the FBI told Erin Lovelady that her father was one of three Americans who had been killed in the terrorist assault on an Algerian gas facility last week. The news destroyed a bit of his daughter's faith.
"My whole life he always told me that good things happen to good people and that I was a good person and good things were going to happen for me," she said Tuesday.
The grief of the Lovelady family is a poignant reminder of the growing concern among U.S. counterterrorism officials that the amorphous al-Qaida-affiliated groups contesting swathes of northern Africa are increasingly coordinating their strategy with al-Qaida central in Pakistan – the remnants of the terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden.
Victor Lovelady had gone overseas because the month-on, month-off schedule gave him more time to be with his family.
"He felt 100 percent comfortable going there and he wanted that, it was never about money, it was never about that, he was going to retire and you know ...," Erin Lovelady said, her voice trailing off.
Pat Sullivan / AP
Mike Lovelady, left, sits with niece Erin Lovelady as she wipes her tears and talks about her father Victor in Nederland, Texas, on Tuesday.
Victor Lovelady was one of at least 37 foreign hostages executed by their captors or killed in the Algerian rescue mission. The government in Algiers, aware that Western governments were angered by what they perceived as hurried decision-making on its part, released videotape on Tuesday of kidnappers carrying out executions.
"It should have been no surprise that the Algerians were going to be aggressive," said Michael Leiter, former director of the U.S. National Counter Terrorism Center and now an NBC News counterterrorism analyst. The Algerian government couldn't afford to have prolonged hostage crisis in the midst of their southern gas fields that are crucial to its economy, he said.
While analysts noted that the attacks did not affect the price of natural gas, they pointed out that the price of gas has already dropped and that any instability in Algeria would make negotiating with prospective partners or financiers more problematic.
“They had to consider that," Leiter said.
It's believed that two of the dead militants in the Algerian crisis are Canadian, driving the total number of people killed to 23 in a siege where extremists used rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. NBC's Keir Simmons reports that there are still an unknown number of Americans among the victims. 1
Now, with the Algerian standoff ended in a bloody massacre, U.S. and other Western officials are wondering where the terrorists will strike next. They note that with the death of the three Americans in Algeria, and the killing of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others in Libya, al-Qaida in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) has suddenly become the most active of the "affiliates" of the central terrorist organization founded by bin Laden.
They point to October's video message from bin Laden’s successor, al-Qaida central leader Ayman al-Zawahri to al-Qaida affiliates, in which he suggested that they engage in kidnappings to free prisoners held in the West, particularly Omar Abdul Rahman. Rahman, the so-called blind sheikh imprisoned in the U.S. for his role in the 1993 conspiracy to topple the World Trade Center, was one of two convicted terrorists the Algeria hostage takers demanded in return for Americans they held and later killed.
The other was Aafia Siddiqui, convicted of planning attacks on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
Mokhtar bel Mokhtar, whose Signatories in Blood group claimed responsibility for the Algerian attack, has said that his organization been in touch with al-Qaida in Pakistan and that the assault on the natural gas plant was conducted on the umbrella group’s behalf.
Although there's no indication that AQIM is planning attacks on the U.S., there is intelligence suggesting that its members have planned attacks in France. That's one reason that France decided last week to move troops and arms into Mali to stop fundamental Islamists from reaching the capital of Bamako.
On Tuesday, the U.S. took another step in helping the French. American C-17s began transporting French troops and equipment to near the front line of the fighting in Mali.
Richard Engel is NBC News' Chief Foreign Correspondent. Robert Windrem is a Senior Investigative Producer.
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What the heck? This can't be true. Obama told us he has al-Qaida on the run.
obama has resolved the al-qaida issue, his only concern now is gay marriage!!!
Could stop reading right there.
BS, BS, BS
That devil, Engel, mixes lies with truths to produce a zionist-imperialist cocktail.
Did the article even mention Mali? Blowback.
And weapons from Qaddafi's Libya? Blowback.
The link to the omnipresent al Qaida is being made because the GWOT legislation refers to al Qaeda and "al Qaeda linked" organizations. Make a link and you have the "legal permission" to attack any part of Eastasia (1984) you want.
Al Qaeda linked
Al Qaeda linked
Al Qaeda linked
Just execute the blind sheik, Omar Abdul Rahman. He deserves it.
Then there will be no more kidnappings to free him.
jw101, water board him first for old time sake!!!
@jw101,
You are mistaken if you think the hostage taking had the purpose of freeing "the blind sheik". The request to free the "blind sheik" was no more than a rockstar asking for M&M in their dressing room (M&M with all the blue M&M removed by hand). They asked for the "blind sheik" (if indeed that reporting is true at all) because they could. It wasn't the purpose.
Let them come. I will be glad to dust off my legally owned real assault weapons and lay waste to every one of these fig pluckers and show all the gun-hate pansies why the Second Amendment must never be infringed, no matter what tragic events Washington and GHP's attempt to exploit.
Gotta laugh at the Obama digs. Can't recall any time where GW Bush and his gang actually did anything to reduce the al Qaida effect, post 9-11. Actually, they contributed to the radical cause rather nicely with their illegal Iraq War, torture, and zero-sum ability to kill, much less even find, bin Laden.
Pansies will say (post) the darnedest things when their ideological mentors are called out as frauds and spineless wimps.
What a confusing mess. And Richard Engel does not help.
Rather azz-backwards and turned insideout by Engel.
France attacked MUJAO fighters (not AQIM) in Mali and they then (reportedly) threatened to "attack the heart of France". It is MUJAO that took all the hostages at the refinery.
So Engel has it backwards.
And MUJAO (Mali) split away from AQIM because AQIM is predominantly Algerian led.
Very confusing, like which side are we on? In Syria we are backing al Qaeda linked rebels like we did in Libya and Algeria. But now we are not supporting them in Libya and Algeria. (That is how we were in Afghanistan against the Russians, as you recall.)
To make it more confusing, "the capital of Bamako" is controlled by a coup (March 2012) leader that we trained at Fort Benning. The coup was justified on the basis of how poorly the Mali government was battling the Tuareg (who?). The Tuareg want to split off Northern Mali and have their own country, the Tuareg recently received a major defeat at the hands of MUJAO (wait a second).
Ok, so it is one confusing mess. What is clear is that with war taking place NATO can justify it's intervention and keep the Chinese out of a resource rich area.
So ramping up of war - good for NATO (France and US, etc) bad for China.
Terrorism? Good for war. Thus good for hegemony.
JK:
I don't recall any succcesssful post 9/11 actions by Al Qaida during the Bush presidency nor do I recall any of our ambassadors being assasinated. Under Bush the civilized world united against Islamo terrorism. Under Obama foreign countries don't even bother to tell him before they unilaterally act against Al Qaida.
The Bush administration provided Obama with a decimated Al Qaida command structure and the infrastructure to finally find and kill Bin Laden. Clinton provided Bush with a nuetered intelligence service and a cesspool of Islamo terroists safely residing in Afghanistan with no fear of retribution from a president more intent on shooting (a load) at Monica Lewinsky than bullets at Oasma Bin Laden.
JK from PA says " illegal Iraq War, torture, and zero-sum ability to kill, much less even find, bin Laden".
You mean the same war that Obama has been fighting for the last four years, the same torture that has continued under Obama at the same Prisons Obama promised to close or the same ability to "zero-sum" kill, not to mention the expansion of drone strikes, the erosion of stable regimes in the middle east etc?
But he did kill Obama, personally according to the left. Obama found him with his own super powers and put on a cape and flew to Pakistan and personally fought Bin Ladin to death.
What is the reality? Obama was told that Osama was found thanks to investigations than began with Bush and that were assisted by what you call torture. He gave an order that anyone would have given and then let real heroes do the dirty work and then after it was done, he gave a pretty speech as Bin Ladins body was dumped over board assuring that Al Qaeda was given it greatest martyr. Then he promptly ignored the entire middle east while the Arab Spring created new Al Queda linked regimes that support terror and while our own ambassador was being murdered in Libya.
History will have a very different image to paint of Obama.
Just like there is no military solution to Islamist insurgency in Afghanistan, there is no military solution to Islamist insurgency in Africa. It is a social and political creation. Let the local people handle their own problems. If they want to live in stone age - let them. We need to mind our own business and quit getting involved in every conflict where there is even a faint smell of gasoline in the air.
Obama found and eliminated Osama bin Laden and has used more drone strikes than Cheney ever dreamed, therefore Al-Qaeda is on the run, although not dead yet.
timothy kaluhiokalani 9/11 was more than enough, it occurred 8 months into Bush presidency and he received many reports and warning that he disregarded because he was mostly on vacation and he is a moron.
excuse leftisfascist, he's an idiot. Wouldn't know a fascist if one hit him in the face. You have the history correct romilio. This idiot is trying to deflect because he doesn't like the fact that Bush was almost as stupid as he is.
So, leftisfascist, you know what will happen in the future ?
But you already forgot that the beginning of Obama's first term coincided with the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression ?
By the way, this recession is still around.
Hello folks, it's getting hard to follow this whole war on terror melodrama without a program! So we funded Al Qaeda in Libya and are funding them in Syria which I guess in the US eyes makes them good Al Qaeda and fighting them in Mali and Afghanistan which makes those bad Al Qaeda, right? It looks like we have a bipolar issue regarding our foreign policy. The rest of the planet must think we're nuts! They're right!
Wait a minute.....
Mr. Biden: "Government Motors is alive, Osama bin Laden is dead, and al Qaeda is decimated."
Yep, great Progressive choice for the 2016 Presidental run since Mrs. Clinton has been thrown under the bus.
So you're telling us that people in Africa are sympathetic towards the people being killed and not the foreignors killing them? Shocker.
Obama had declared: "Responsible end" in Afghanistan.
"growing concern among U.S. counterterrorism officials that the amorphous al-Qaida-affiliated groups contesting swathes of northern Africa are increasingly coordinating their strategy with al-Qaida central in Pakistan"
Saudi and Paki sponsored Sunni al Qaida and their hating and killing groups are now starting "irresponsible" actions all over the world.!
Here we go again, still
Yep, giving 4 F-16's to Morsi (watch what he does with them) and Mali intervention.
Time to consider Mr. Obama for his 2nd Nobel Peace Prize.
9/11, which had Saudi and Paki hands, should have been wake up call!
But No! With 2003 Iraqi war, we eliminated enemy of House of Saud, one of the biggest culprits Sunni extremist hater and killer groups like al Qaida, Muslim Bloodhounds, Taliban and other unending label wearing ones.
Still we are supporting Sunni Islamic extremists in Syria against Assad.
We are leaders in imposing sanctions on Iranian oil and manipulate oil prices higher and make our real enemies oil rich Sunni rulers of House of Saud, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and other Sunni Arab League nations richer and deadlier.
You Mean Obama Was Lying When He Said "Al Qaeda Is Decimated?" Who Would've Thunk It???
" Gun Control Means Hitting Your Target"
Heck, just review his video clips from his Presidential campaigns. There is more spin in his teleprompter speeches than what his surrogates say.
Oh, please! I thought everyone understodd that the only reason that Barak Hussein Obama had Osama "offed" was so that he could become the undisputed leader of al-Quaeda himself.
Al-Quaida is stronger not than when Obama came into office. It is against his religion to kill a fellow muslim. It is only a matter of time before we have another attack on us here in the states
such disdane for our LEADER....tsk..tsk...
Not a liberal but an American. I would like to ask the first seven posters just what can be done? One, three or fifteen people who do not wear uniforms declare war on the United States every other day and it is the present POTUS's fault? It will not matter what party or who is in office we are looking at our future. Sucks don't it.
stonepipe2: as Americans, we can view people as inherently bad and need to be controlled [by Goverment] or, as our Founding Fathers believed, people are inherently good and must be trained to live in a free society. Problem is that clearly espoused moral values are abhorent to one political view and critical to the other view because that is how we fulfill the "self-governing" requirement. Everyone doing whatever they want to mandating the Nation accept it is not self-governing...it is selfish. The current POTUS embraces one of the visions.
Kind of early, forgive me but what is your point? All I said was we are in for a long hard pull, get used to it. Our children will be fighting the never ending battle till Hell freezes over.
Stonepipe2, I believe Maran8th8 is suggesting that our POTUS is either immoral, or a bible-thumping self-righteous, social conservative. As we (most rational Americans) can plainly conclude, President Obama is not an immoral individual. AND, we can unanimously conclude he is seriously not a rightwing nutbag.
Unfortunately, what the GOP is experiencing is an onslaught of a hard core minority of social neo-cons ranting hate in the guise of "Protecting the Constitution" from a "foreign born Muslim". Sadly, fewer and fewer "real" fiscal conservative moderate Republicans are representing what was once an honorable (and sane) political party.
So, in the end, Maran8 is trying to simplify a complicated issue into a neat black and white scenario; something typical of far-right-leaning social cons; "it's my way or the highway", "us against them", etc.
leftisfascist you exemplify why conservatives in the end will be deemed irrelevant. You're nothing more than a foul mouthed ignorant punk. You have nothing intelligent to say. Keep it up. You are the best reason for someone to vote for a democrat.
All of the world needs to realize that Muslims can't and won't live with anyone else other then Muslims. There will be a final conflict between Muslims and a united world of all other peoples and religions that will put them down for good. And good riddence.
This is Obamas fault, he goes around the country bragging that he bagged bin Ladin, not Bush , but he himself.
This story must be false. Obama said that Al-Quadi was on the run. Just like he would be transparent, cut the debt, get people off welfare, lower medical costs, not raise taxes, develop all sources of energy, not raise the debt ceiling, on and on. The fricken guy is a genius because he has all these Obama drones believing him even though his actual record has been pathetic, he is a compulsive liar and he attacks capitalism the best system ever created to generate wealth and prosperity. Some people are smarter, work harder, get luckier, are more gifted than others and they end up with more. Obama has no right to attack these successful people - none. We are all equal under the law but we are not equal in wealth creation and that's to bad. If you want more, you're free (or used to be) to work harder, smarter and longer.
Really? Pure capitalism = slavery, a great money making scheme!. I seriously doubt the you are enjoying the "fruits of capitalism". Rather, enamored by the truly wealthy who are preying on your wallet every waking moment in the guise of anti-unionism, pro-social conservatism bunk.
jk
No system is perfect, Mistakes are always made and decisions are sometimes wrong. Howver, you are a Socialist pig and it makes me sick that you live in this country and many many of my family have died in 3 wars defending your freedom and capitalism. Capitalism is not perfect - just the best. Now, drop dead you jerk
No thanks, George. Think I'll stick around the country for a lifetime, so as to protect our civil liberties from those of your ilk.
Leftisfascist: Taxes are the price of living in a civilized society. Pakistanis seldom pay taxes, and have free, unfettered access to all types of military hardware. Maybe you and your "buddy" Georgie should take a trip together. Apparently, there are some really nice, romantic hotels in the Swat Valley area. But beware, there are many of those bad Muslims that you up-tight types are scared of.
Al Qaeda is not on the run. They are doing other country's dirty work in Africa, probably for the US because we have interests there. Obama is just furthering the agenda that was put in place by the neocons in the late 90s. www.globalresearch.ca
The secret to dealing with Alkayduh is simple:
Show no mercy, offer no quarter and take no prisoners. If they're in an area, you carpet bomb the area for 24 hours with incindiary bombs and let it burn.
If they're in a cave, you build a nice smokey fire at the entrance and keep it burning for a few days, then collapse the cave.
And on the off chance someone does end up with a prisoner, you torture it and when you're done, you burn it.
Treat them like less than vermin, humiliate them whenever you can, and do not stop killing them until there are none left, and everyone else is too afraid to ever try to revive the group.
1) Indigo-Rage: BRAVO! I have always said that REVENGE, also known as "setting the precedent," cannot prevent the previous attack, but it sure prevents the next one. I am never wrong in this: if a "next attack" does occur, it only means you did not get sufficient revenge. To me, "sufficient revenge" for 9-11 means that we can go back to the days only some of us can still remember, when the only thing separating the flight crew from the cabin was a flimsy curtain; when we can do that because it is still fresh in everyone's mind that we got revenge of a nature that would even make Vlad the Impaler blush. Now, THAT guy knew how to deal with dogs like these coming into his realm from the east, and to this very day he is regarded as the national folk hero of Romania for it.
2) I am getting sick and tired of half the people blaming President Clinton (and her husband Bill), and the other half blaming Bush-43. Stop it, you are both wrong! It is all Jimmy Carter's fault for not "setting the precedent" and rooting out this cancer at the time and point of its origin, by committing an unforgettable act of grossly disproportionate REVENGE against Iran back in November 1979. Had we done what was needed to be done, yes, we might have lost 56 people, but the World Trade Center would still be standing today even had it been constructed of papier mache'. And lest you think I just hate Democrats, I leave you with this: Remember Truman! Japan hasn't shot anyone with so much as a water pistol in almost 70 years.
To those who feel the need to ridicule our President(s) I say if you don't like them then why not do something about it and run for office yourself!! Better yet...why not leave the country and live elsewhere if you don't like it!! Instead of being so negative all the time be a part of the solution not the problem!!!
The problem has been identified - it's Obama. He the one that since his first term has attacked the successful in this country. He talks about collectivism not capitalism (collectivism another word for socialism). His policies and mandates make it difficult for businesses to hire. He's done nothing about the debt except make it worse, real unemployment is 15% because the people who quit looking are no longer counted, our health care costs are going up (didn't he say they would go down) because ObamaCare will be a disaster, his lack of transparency is appalling. Obama has been the one attacking and dividing.
Left. I went to a number of websites to get the lowdown on profits and taxes on a gallon of gas. The truth is that there are lots of taxes on gas(too many). But it also looks like the Oil Producing Companies like Exxon and BP make quite a bit of money on the sale of crude oil....there is something going on with the accounting for profits of a "finished" product versus raw crude....
Because you can't run for POTUS unless you have multi-billion dollar backing. It used to be that even a common man could run but those days were over a long time ago.
What happened to the libaturds constantly telling us terrorism would be over once we got Osama?
No surprise here. Bush made some bad mistakes in the war on terror and managed to give America a bad name. But at least he had the al Queda on the ropes and in hiding. Obama comes along and begins a policy of releasing troop withdrawal dates and seeking to negotiate and bring in Al Queda support groups to bolster the nations that he touted as examples of democracy during the Arab Spring. Al Queda knows that with Obama they get several passes before he will be forced to do anything and then it will only be because of pressure from Americans.
When Al Qaeda strikes again in the US it will be in the large northeastern cities...it will be interesting to see if the large drink and gun bans protect NYC...wonder how many sleeper cells are already in NYC and DC...wonder which side Barack Hussein Obama will take...
Al Qaeda is already in cahoots with the cocaine cartel in Colombia, using submarines to ship the coke across the Atlantic, supplying coke to Europe, helping to finance their agenda.
How do you know that the US isn't funding Al Qaeda? They have been on the CIA payroll for a long, long time.
It's the same game we were playing during the Iran / Contra affair. Things have not changed.
Interesting. Now that oil has been attacked we have a problem. When an Ambassador and three of his team were killed it was "a video".
How old is this chick - 10? My dad always told me good things happen to good people...
Your dad went to Algeria - as a white American...that's about as close to putting a "kill me" sign on your back as you can get.
The only way AlQuaida will be eliminated is if the countries of the world unite together to eradicate them. If this means we have to put hit groups together to accomplish this then that is what we must do. They can't and won't except that one can coexist with others who don't believe as you do. To them anyone who doesn't believe as they do must be killed so likewise we need to kill them off.
Chase the bastards all the way across Africa.
Drive them all the way back to Egypt and cleanse the scum out of Africa.
Nigeria will be the hardest. Sudan will be the next toughest.
These mad downs have to be put down.
where's pigotry, beverly in chicago and redheadfeisty? oh that's right, they know nothing of what they talk about so they stick to the "let's defend obama and bash republicans" boards....duh
The hearing today is a farce , the democrats are having a love feast with Hillary and no tuff questions . We have put two of the most inexperience people in this country into the most highest office in the land we are in big trouble Obama and Hillary will see hundreds if not thousands die because of poor leadership coupled with a great ability to lie well to our nation .Hillary is just a world traveler she has done very little no treaty's signed , no foreign policy established , when important work needed done Obama would send a special envoy this women would always be out of the loop. Obama is a very weak president big talk no stick big wrong ideas and so far we have paid the price . Standby for act two is on its way in the spring Iran will have nukes , Al-Qaida is back in full strength after Mr. Bush almost wiped them out in Iraq but Obamas support of the Muslim Brotherhood this group spread over North Africa and all of the middle east Thank you 47% idiot voter for giving us two major screw-ups Obama and Hillary.
Typical "jihadists"....too frickin' sorry and uneducated to do anything productive so they go around killing. To hell with politicall correctness....these vermin need wiping out. The Jews were Hitler's imagined and conjured enemy, and were wrongfully persecuted. This is not such a group.......they all need a good killin'! Screw those towel-headed booger-eatin' morons!
What!??? They're eatin' boogers now!? OK. I've had it. Off with their heads.....
This is the same al-qaida that Hussein says he dismantled and greatly weakened? Maybe they'll pay him a personal visit the next time he leaves the country to thank him for his USELESSNESS. We can only Hope. Or maybe they can take up golf. They'd have a better chance of finding him there.
The sad part of this story it may not have had to happen ,Al Quaida was beat down by George Bush but the inexperience of Obama and his weak leadership allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to fiancé and rebuild this group , but the best is yet to come Iran will have a nuke in the spring and by then Al Quaida will be even stronger and the US border is like a interstate highway to the point the US Government don't know who is in this country . I think the Bible tells a story that says the blind can't lead the blind because they will both fall in the ditch . One thing is sure we have become blind and we sure have a blind weak leader in our White House .